1952 M38A1 3/4 Bolt from $&% and leaf spring questions...

[ChiGuy82]

Hello all,
While loosening all the bolts on my M38A1 frame from the leaf springs, I came across one bolt that would not budge! Yes, I was the very last one and most of the rest were not at all hard to turn. I even broke out the, "breaker bar" for this one and when that would not work, I found a nice 3 foot pipe to, "help" with the breaker bar and finally, it started turning! Then, after turning it a few times I need to check my progress and found that I had basically stripped the bolt head with the leverage instead of turn it. The bolt is broken on the other side and rusted pretty good. I have baptized it in "PB blaster" and there is still some side left to it. Mostly the part stripped was the, shoulders of the head. I don’t have a welder at this point (240v issues) so I can’t weld a new head on the bolt just yet.

Also, I am wondering what you guys think about my leaf springs? If I can keep them I will but I have no clue if they need to be replaced or not. After measuring them, they seem to be all around the same height off the ground. If I do, any good websites that has them for sale? I have found them for around $400-500 for all 4 springs.

Thanks,
Mike

[rdsar2k]

I would remove the zirk and spray PB . Also some of these shackel bushings are reversed thread. A twelve point is worthless on rusty bolts. I don't use them at all on anything anymore. Got a torch? heat it up cherry red let it cool try again. I have clamped a 6 point deep well on the bushing and used a pipe wrench on the socket. Hit it with a hammer. Be sure youknow the rotation of that bushing

[wesk]

One of them is left hand threaded.

[53a1]

If you see a notch one each point of the hex head of the bushing, you know it is LHT. You may have rounded them off at this point. If they were installed correctly by the PO, the DS front lower and PS rear lower should be LHT.

I don't think this is a 100% rule but mine were like that. My LHT lug nuts are the same way.